We're experimenting with portfolios in lieu of exams. I have mixed feelings. Mostly because I think grading and preparing exams is way easier than a portfolio.
Anyway, I was going over requirements with my English II class (sophomores): Choose 6 of the 12 pieces you've done this quarter. Write a 1-paragraph reflection, if you will, on why each particular piece belongs in your portfolio. Prepare to present and defend next week during the appointed exam time. How long am I requiring each paragraph to be? FIVE sentences. I got as far as "one paragraph for each..." before they flipped out on me. My maturity shield dropped immediately, and I mocked them. "OHHH MY GOHHHHHHHHHHHD....my English teacher is making me wriiiiiite!!! OHHH MY GOHHHHHHHHHHHD...my English teacher is making me do worrrrrrk!!! OHHH MY GOHHHHHHHHHHHD...I have to write in English classsssss!!! OHHH MY GOHHHHHHHHHHHD... instead of making us study and take a long test with at least 50 questions on it, most of which are short answer, my English teacher is making me take stuff I've already written and write 5 tiny sentences about each of the 6 poemmmmmmmmzzzzzzzz!!!!" I got as far as one more "OHHH MY GOHHHHHHHHHHHD..." when one of them went, "ALL RIGHT! We GET IT! STOP!" I then put it to a vote after telling them that I could throw out the portfolio and make them a test...I already have one started for right after exam week is over (these portfolios have many down sides to them....as well as many upsides...) and they could just have a traditional exam. I made them vote; one kid wanted an exam while the rest wanted the portfolios. No more whining. I WIN!
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A teacher who uses my room during my off-period was teaching financial math today and told the kids that in order to figure out how much they would probably pay in taxes, they had to take their anal incomes.....and that was as far as he got.
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Seniors were hyped up all day. They had a sub first period and watched a movie in that class. Then their teacher discussed anal income. at lunch, the big/little brothers and sisters had an ice cream social. And then they got to journalism with me. My co-teacher friend tried to feed into it while wrangling them at the same time: she played "Simon Says" with them. It was brilliant. They got out some energy, and the last two things she said were, "Simon say take a seat.....Simon says do your work without complaining." And one of the kids yelled out, "Simon SUCKS!"
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Yesterday, another friend, who is one of the kindest, calmest teachers I've ever seen, was verbally abused by a student. Richard didn't understand something, and Laine offered to help him out. Things started out well, until Laine couldn't remember the website address Richard needed to use. He said, "It's on your instruction sheet, Richard. Get your instruction sheet." Richard yelled out, "Just tell me the damned website!!!!" Ms. Ford said, "I'm sorry, Richard, but that sort of language is not allowed in my class." She calmly took out a write-up form and checked off "Inappropriate language" with the punishment only as having the write-up signed. No detentions or anything were attached to it. Richard yelled out, "This is civics class, and you are violating my first amendment rights!!!" Um...two things: 1. first amendment does not actually guarantee free speech. For instance, one may not yell "fire!" in a crowded theater. 2. When you go to school, you sorta forfeit a lot of rights...like the right to wear your hair and clothing however you wish...and many others.
Anyway, he let out a torrent of f-bombs and s-bombs, and she calmly switched the infraction to "severe inappropriate language" and attached an after-school detention to it. Richard them yelled "F-bomb you, B-bomb!!!" He was removed to guidance for the rest of the afternoon and served an in-school suspension today.
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I have been known to play the sarcasm card when I get the public outcry over a writing assignment. Also when one kid or another moans, "We write too much in this class!" or "We read too much in this class!" I've refined my response: "This is an English class. You're either going to be reading or writing. Get used to it."
ReplyDeleteOh yeah. I'm generally wayyyy more poised. I've never stooped to a level of sarcasm like that in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention that it seems almost all of their classes are doing e-portfolios or posters, or something not writing-based, which is why they were outraged. I hate, more than anything, the "Well, Mr. So-and-so is doing it this way..." game. They played it, I got pissy, and, well, the rest is history, haha.